osc.am1.seventhson-第49部分

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th　inspired　words；　and　he　cried　out　with　more　passion　than　he　had　ever　felt　before　in　his　life：　〃Satan；　in　the　name　of　the　Lord　I　rebuke　you！　I　mand　you　to　depart　from　this　boy；　from　this　room；　from　this　house　forever！　Never　again　seek　to　possess　a　soul　in　this　place；　or　the　power　of　God　will　wreak　destruction　unto　the　uttermost　bounds　of　hell！〃
　　Then　silence。　Except　for　the　boy's　breathing；　which　seemed　labored。　There　was　such　peace　in　the　room；　such　exhausted　righteousness　in　Thrower's　own　heart；　that　he　felt　convinced　the　devil　had　heeded　his　peroration　and　retreated　forthwith。
　　〃Reverend　Thrower；〃　said　the　boy。
　　〃Yes；　my　son？〃
　　〃Can　you　take　that　Bible　off　my　chest　now？　I　reckon　if　there　was　any　devils　here；　they're　all　gone　now。〃
　　Then　the　boy　began　to　laugh　again；　causing　the　Bible　to　jump　up　and　down　under　Thrower's　hand。
　　In　that　moment　Thrower's　exultation　turned　to　bitter　disappointment。　Indeed；　the　fact　that　the　boy　could　laugh　so　devilishly　with　the　Bible　itself　resting　on　his　body　was　proof　that　no　power　could　purge　him　of　evil。　The　Visitor　had　been　right。　Thrower　should　never　have　refused　the　mighty　work　that　the　Visitor　had　called　him　to　do。　It　had　been　in　his　power　to　be　the　slayer　of　the　Beast　of　the　Apocalypse；　and　he　had　been　too　weak；　too　sentimental　to　accept　the　divine　calling。　I　could　have　been　a　Samuel；　hewing　to　death　the　enemy　of　God。　Instead　I　am　a　Saul；　a　weakling；　who　cannot　kill　what　the　Lord　mands　must　die。　Now　I　will　see　this　boy　rise　up　with　the　power　of　Satan　in　him；　and　I　will　know　that　he　thrives　only　because　I　was　weak。
　　Now　the　room　was　stifling　hot；　choking　him。　He　had　not　realized　until　now　how　his　clothing　sogged　with　sweat。　It　was　hard　to　breathe。　But　what　should　he　expect？　The　hot　breath　of　hell　was　in　this　room。　Gasping；　he　took　the　Bible；　held　it　out　between　him　and　the　satanic　child　who　lay　giggling　feverishly　under　the　blanket；　and　fled。
　　In　the　great　room　he　stopped；　breathing　heavily。　He　had　interrupted　a　conversation；　but　he　scarcely　took　notice　of　it。　What　did　the　conversations　of　these　benighted　people　amount　to；　pared　to　what　he　had　just　experienced？　I　have　stood　in　the　presence　of　Satan's　minion；　masquing　it　as　a　young　boy；　but　his　mockery　revealed　him　to　me。　I　should　have　known　what　the　boy　was　years　ago；　when　I　felt　his　head　and　found　it　to　be　so　perfectly　balanced。　Only　a　counterfeit　would　be　so　perfect。　The　child　was　never　real。　Ah；　that　I　had　the　strength　of　the　great　prophets　of　old；　so　I　could　confound　the　enemy　and　bear　the　trophy　back　to　my　Lord！
　　Someone　was　tugging　at　his　sleeve。　〃Are　you　well；　Reverend？〃　It　was　Goody　Faith；　but　Reverend　Thrower　did　not　think　to　answer　her。　Her　tugging　pulled　him　around；　though；　so　he　faced　the　fireplace。　There　on　the　mantel　he　saw　a　carven　image；　and　in　his　distracted　state　he　could　not　at　once　determine　what　it　was。　It　seemed　to　be　the　face　of　a　soul　in　torment；　surrounded　by　writhing　tendrils。　Flames；　that's　what　they　are；　he　thought；　and　that　is　a　soul　drowning　in　brimstone；　burning　in　hellfire。　The　image　was　a　torment　to　him；　and　yet　it　was　also　satisfying；　for　its　presence　in　this　house　signified　how　closely　bound　this　family　was　to　hell。　He　stood　in　the　midst　of　his　enemies。　A　phrase　from　the　Psalmist　came　to　his　mind：　Bulls　of　Bashan　stare　upon　me；　and　I　can　tell　all　my　bones。　My　God；　my　God；　why　hast　Thou　forsaken　me？
　　〃Here；〃　said　Goody　Faith。　〃Sit　down。〃
　　〃Is　the　boy　all　right？〃　demanded　Miller。
　　〃The　boy？〃　asked　Thrower。　Words　could　hardly　e　to　his　mouth。　The　boy　is　a　fiend　from　Sheol；　and　you　ask　how　he　is？　〃As　well　as　can　be　expected；〃　said　Thrower。
　　They　turned　away　from　him　then；　back　to　their　conversation。　Gradually　he　came　to　understand　what　they　were　discussing。　It　seemed　that　Alvin　wanted　someone　to　cut　away　the　diseased　portion　of　his　bone。　Measure　had　even　brought　a　fine…toothed　bone　saw　from　the　butchery　shed。　The　argument　was　between　Faith　and　Measure；　because　Faith　didn't　want　anyone　cutting　her　son；　and　between　Miller　and　the　other　two；　because　Miller　refused　to　do　it；　and　Faith　would　only　consent　if　Alvin's　father　did　the　cutting。
　　〃If　you　think　it　ought　to　be　done；〃　said　Faith；　〃then　I　don't　see　how　you'd　be　willing　to　have　anyone　but　yourself　cut　into　him。〃
　　〃Not　me；〃　said　Miller。
　　It　struck　Thrower　that　the　man　was　afraid。　Afraid　to　lay　the　knife　against　his　own　son's　flesh。
　　〃He　asked　for　you；　Pa。　He　said　he'd　draw　the　marks　for　cutting；　right　on　his　own　leg。　You　just　cut　a　flap　of　skin　and　peel　it　back；　and　right　under　it　there's　the　bone；　and　you　just　cut　a　wedge　in　the　bone　that　takes　out　the　whole　bad　place。〃
　　〃I'm　not　the　fainting　kind；〃　said　Faith；　〃but　my　head　is　getting　light。〃
　　〃If　Al　Junior　says　it's　got　to　be　done；　then　do　it！〃　said　Miller。　〃But　not　me！〃
　　Then；　like　a　rush　of　light　into　a　dark　room；　Reverend　Thrower　saw　his　redemption。　The　Lord　was　clearly　offering　him　exactly　the　opportunity　that　the　Visitor　had　prophesied。　A　chance　to　hold　a　knife　in　his　hand；　to　cut　into　the　boy's　leg；　and　accidently　sever　the　artery　and　spill　the　blood　until　the　life　was　gone。　What　he　had　shrunk　to　do　in　the　church；　thinking　of　Alvin　as　a　mere　boy；　he　would　do　gladly；　now　that　he　had　seen　the　evil　that　disguised　itself　in　child…shape。
　　〃I'm　here；〃　he　said。
　　They　looked　at　him。
　　〃I'm　no　surgeon；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　have　some　knowledge　of　anatomy。　I　am　a　scientist。〃
　　〃Head　bumps；〃　said　Miller。
　　〃You　ever　butchered　cattle　or　pigs？〃　asked　Measure。
　　〃Measure！〃　said　his　mother；　horrified。　〃Your　brother　is　not　a　beast。〃
　　〃I　just　wanted　to　know　if　he　was　going　to　throw　up　when　he　saw　blood。〃
　　〃I've　seen　blood；〃　said　Thrower。　〃And　I　have　no　fear；　when　the　cutting　is　for　salvation。〃
　　〃Oh；　Reverend　Thrower；　it's　too　much　to　ask　of　you；〃　said　Goody　Faith。
　　〃Now　I　see　that　perhaps　it　was　inspiration　that　brought　me　up　here　today；　after　so　long　being　away　from　this　house。〃
　　〃It　was　my　pebble…headed　son…in…law　brought　you　here；〃　said　Miller。
　　〃Well；〃　said　Thrower；　〃it　was　just　a　thought。　I　can　see　that　you　don't　want　me　to　do　it；　and　I　can't　say　that　I　blame　you。　Even　if　it　means　saving　your　son's　life；　it's　still　a　dangerous　thing　to　let　a　stranger　cut　into　your　own　child's　body。〃
　　〃You're　no　stranger；〃　insisted　Faith。
　　〃What　if　something　went　wrong？。　I　might　slip。　His　previous　injury　might　have　changed　the　path　of　certain　blood　vessels。　I　might　cut　an　artery；　and　he　could　bleed　to　death　in　moments。　Then　I'd　have　the　blood　of　your　child　on　my　hands。〃
　　〃Reverend　Thrower；〃　said　Faith；　〃we　can't　blame　you　for　chance。　All　we　can　do　is　try。〃
　　〃It's　sure　that　if　we　don't　do　something　he'll　die；〃　said　Measure。　〃He　says　we　got　to　cut　right　away；　before　the　bad　place　spreads　too　far。〃
　　〃Perhaps　one　of　your　older　sons；〃　said　Thrower。
　　〃We　got　no　time　to　fetch　them！〃　cried　Faith。　〃Oh；　Alvin；　he's　the　boy　you　chose　to　have　your　name。　Are　you　set　to　let　him　die；　just　cause　you　can't　abide　the　preacher　here？〃
　　Miller　shook　his　head　miserably。　〃Do　it；　then。〃
　　〃He'd　rather　you　did；　Pa；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃No！〃　said　Miller　vehemently。　〃Better　anyone　than　me。　Better　even　him　than　me。〃
　　Thrower　saw　disappointment；　even　contempt；　on　Measure's　face。　He　stood　and　walked　to　where　Measure　sat；　holding　a　knife　and　the　bone　saw　in　his　hands。　〃Young　man；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　judge　any　man　to　be　a　coward。　You　cannot　guess　what　reasons　he　hides　in　his　heart。〃
　　Thrower　turned　to　Miller　and　saw　a　look　of　surprise　and　gratitude　on　the　man's　face。　〃Give　him　them　cutting　tools；〃　Miller　said。
　　Measure　held　out　the　knife　and　the　bone　saw。　Thrower　pulled　out　a　handkerchief；　and　had　Measure　lay　the　implements　carefully　within　it。
　　It　had　been　so　easy　to　do。　In　just　a　few　moments　he　had　them　all　asking　him　to　take　the　knife；　absolving　him　in　advance　of　any　accident　that　might　happen。　He　had　even　won　the　first　scrap　of　friendship　from　Alvin　Miller。　Ah；　I　have　deceived　you　all；　he　thought　triumphantly。　I　am　a　match　for　your　master　the　devil。　I　have　deceived　the　great　deceiver；　and　will　send　his　corrupt　progeny　back　to　hell　within　the　hour。
　　〃Who　will　hold　the　boy？〃　asked　Thrower。　〃Even　with